NICA chief denies pressuring cop to testify vs Duterte, Bato in ICC

MANILA, Philippines — The head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency on Thursday refuted Sen. Ronald dela Rosa's claim that he and some lawmakers had attempted to convince police officers to implicate him and former President Rodrigo Duterte in the International Criminal Court. 

This comes after Dela Rosa told reporters on Wednesday that he had "A-1 information" that the intelligence agency's chief, Ricardo de Leon and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes pressured retired and active duty police officers to execute an affidavit against him and the former president. 

Dela Rosa — who is Duterte's former Philippine National Police chief and main implementor of his drug war — also claimed that the meeting involved House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol), chair of the House appropriations committee. 

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, De Leon explained that he had only accompanied Police former PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., who sought an audience with Romualdez to lobby to be the next PNP chief.

“I categorically deny allegations by Sen. Bato dela Rosa that I, together with Speaker Martin Romualdez and other personalities, pressured certain officials to testify against him and former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court,” De Leon said.

Caramat offered to expose "everything he knew" about the drug war in exchange for the top post at the PNP, he added.

"During our conversation, he (Caramat) offered to disclose everything he knew about extrajudicial killings (EJK) and the drug war, including the list of names targeted for killing, weekly quotas, and the payment process involved in exchange for the top PNP post," the intelligence agency director said.

De Leon said Romualdez "made it clear" that the the appointment of the PNP chief "is solely the president's prerogative and trust and he has no influence over such decisions."

"The Speaker also rejected Caramat's offer to disclose information in exchange for his appointment," he said.

De Leon also denied Dela Rosa's allegation ohe talked to former PNP Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde and PBGen. Eleazar Mata to testify